Oil-heated homes in Newfoundland and Labrador eligible for new rebates

The Labradorian

Published: Mar 08 at 3:41 p.m.

Updated: Mar 12 at 10:15 a.m.

A programmable Thermostat - Thinkstock

$2 million over three years committed for energy-efficiency program

Home owners reliant on oil heat can now apply for rebates through TakeCHARGE on new insulation and programmable thermostats.

The province committed up to $1.54 million, while the federal government has committed to $512,000 over three years to fund the energy-efficiency rebates, with the federal funding flowing from the Low Carbon Economy Leadership Fund.

The “Energy efficiency in oil heated homes program” is being introduced as part of the TakeCHARGE suite of programs — a partnership of Newfoundland Power and Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro.

The funding was promoted at a press conference at the Johnson Geo Centre on Friday.

“This will not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help tackle climate change, it will also help save householders money,” Environment Minister Graham Letto said, encouraging applications for rebates.

Finance Minister Tom Osborne, St. John’s East MP Nick Whelan and Newfoundland Power vice-president for Energy Supply and Planning Byron Chubbs (representing TakeCHARGE) also spoke briefly at the announcement.

Chubbs said a power customer can now get up to $2,000 back in rebates on new insulation.

To be eligible under the new program, homes must be a primary residence, have been connected to the electricity grid since at least Jan. 1, 2014, and you must use at least 1,000 litres of oil annually. Further details are available on the TakeCHARGE website.

Rebates on insulation have been on offer to home owners with electric heat under TakeCHARGE for years now, with “over 10,000 customers” receiving a rebate on new insulation to date, Chubbs said.